Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. If you haven’t already done so, shop owners are hoping you’ll come into their stores today and buy-buy-buy. As lovely as many store-bought presents are, spending cash isn’t the only way to express love. A wealth of gifts awaits that special someone and the only thing needed to procure them is a little creativity.
Flowers — Flowers are a Valentine’s Day staple and the sweet smell of roses, carnations or a fragrant orchid can linger long after the blooms fade. But don’t forget, flowers grow in earth, not in a florist’s cooler. Consider taking a walk around your own yard to pick a bouquet of your own making. If you notice a particularly pretty or sweet-smelling bloom in a neighbor’s garden, knock on their door and ask permission to pick one or two. Most likely, they’ll say yes. Not only will you return home with a floral display that is uniquely yours to give, you will also have given a second gift to your green-thumbed neighbor. Your appreciation of their garden will make them smile for many days to come.
Sweets — Is any gift sweeter than chocolate or candy? How about a treat from your own kitchen? It doesn’t take long to whip up a cake, sweetbread, muffins, a tray of cookies or a plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries. These days, the Internet makes it easy, even if your baking experience is next to zero. Actually, inexperience is a plus in this case because the recipient of your efforts will know you took extra effort to make them something special. For step-by-step help creating that perfect dessert, check out YouTube videos as well as online recipe websites.
Pampering — We can all use a bit of pampering and a trip to the spa is a wonderful way to tell your love interest how much you care about their overall well-being. But massage sessions can be pricey, especially on a limited budget. Fortunately, you don’t need to schedule an appointment or spend any cash when you create a spa in your own home. The only things needed for this gift is the willingness to turn off the phones for an hour, dim the lights, put on some soothing music and focus on your partner. Brushing your loved one’s hair may not be a normal part of a massage treatment but it can be a wonderful way to pamper your partner and pampering is what this gift is all about. Remember, you don’t need strong hands or expensive oils to give a massage. Soft strokes, light scratches or gentle tickling all go a long way to demonstrating your loving touch.
Honey-do list — We’ve all got them: long lists of chores that need to be done. Taking it upon yourself to do one or two of the most demanding tasks without being asked (that’s the key ingredient here) can result in benefits store-bought presents may never realize. Cleaning out an unkempt closet, painting a wall, weeding a garden, unclogging the gutters or vacuuming the house may not seem like the most romantic offering but be forewarned: Doing these chores can result in unexpected displays of gratitude.

Consumers will be digging deeper into their pockets to buy flowers, gift cards and chocolates on Valentine’s Day with average spending expected to rise eight percent over last year to nearly $200.And along with their expanding wallets 4 million Americans are expected to pop the question or receive a proposal on Feb 14.
“We’ve seen a consistent trend of consumers saying they will spend more, from holiday shopping to 2012 travel plans, and spending plans for Feb 14 are no exception,” said Sonali Chakravorti, vice president at American Express.
In its latest spending and savings tracker American Express questioned 2,000 adults across the United States to gauge how much and on what consumers will be spending their money on Cupid’s big day.Nearly half of people said they intend to celebrate at a favourite restaurant, seven percent more than last year. Flowers are still the most popular gift for a Valentine, followed by gift cards, jewellery and electronics.
Among couples getting betrothed, 30 percent said they would propose during a weekend getaway or vacation, which have been dubbed engagementcations.To seal the deal, 48 percent of people think an engagement ring costing between $1,000 to $5,000 would be appropriate but 22 percent said up to $2,000 for bling would be more realistic, while five percent thought nothing of spending $10,000 or more on a ring.
Although nearly 40 percent of women think whoever asked for the date should pay for it, 14 percent said the bill should be split, but most unmarried men said they would cover the cost of the date.Finances can be a delicate subject, so half of people don’t talk about money until they have been together six months and 20 percent of married couples did not broach the subject until after they have tied the knot.
After marriage money matters can be a cause of disagreements, although the poll showed arguments over household budgets, spending on the children and everyday purchases have declined since last year.More men than women take credit for paying credit cards, property and school taxes and for filing income taxes, according to the poll, but 70 percent of women said they managed the household budgets.